Insights on Immigration: drive for citizenship

U-T San Diego’s Insights on Immigration, a panel of experts who regularly explore timely and often provocative issues, was created to better explore the many facets of immigration and provide more perspectives for readers.

Question: With the presidential election just months away, various groups are trying to help eligible, legal permanent residents become citizens so they can vote in November. Are these efforts effective in integrating immigrants into civic life?

Lilia Velasquez, immigration attorney and adjunct professor of law

Yes: Although some immigrant advocacy groups encourage legal immigrants to naturalize so they can vote for a particular political party, citizenship also integrates immigrants into the mainstream of their adopted country. It allows them to share the same rights and obligations in our society and provides them with the political power to have their interests represented. Traditionally, legal immigrants obtained citizenship to protect themselves from deportation, to sponsor family members for an immigrant visa or to get better employment. But today’s immigrants are also motivated by the right to vote and a desire to assimilate by learning English and history and government of the United States. In 2011, more than 694,000 immigrants were naturalized — nationals from Mexico, India, the Philippines and China being major groups who became citizens. We must continue to support and promote legal immigrants to naturalize. It will not only secure their rights in this country, but their active participation in the political process will strengthen our democracy.

Peter Nunez, former U.S. attorney in San Diego

Yes: But there is much more to being integrated into civic life than being eligible to vote. What is most important is that immigrants assimilate completely into American society, as millions of prior immigrants have done over many centuries. This means accepting American values and the belief in American exceptionalism, and rejecting attempts to promote ethnic divisions and voting groups.

Every citizen, including the native-born, has a civic responsibility to vote. But data from recent elections show that millions of citizens do not, which reflects a growing dissatisfaction with our political system and leaders. Contributing to that dissatisfaction is the belief that Congress no longer responds to the will of the people, but instead responds to the demands of organized special-interest groups. Nowhere is this disconnect clearer than on the immigration issue, where ethnic special-interest groups, along with labor, business and political organizations, have succeeded for decades in preventing the passage of a rational immigration policy.

Ruben Barrales, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce president, CEO

Yes: My parents were immigrants to the United States. I noticed an increase in their civic participation as their English proficiency improved and as they became citizens.

I believe that legal permanent residents, when eligible, should be encouraged to become citizens and participate in civic life. Throughout our history, eligible legal immigrants have exercised their rights and have become active citizens of this great nation. Voting is an important right and responsibility. We should encourage all eligible legal residents to become citizens, to understand the issues, to register and to vote.

I do have one caution for some groups and efforts that are focused exclusively on partisan elections. We must look beyond immediate political positions and the upcoming campaign. New citizens should not be seen simply as a voting bloc to help a certain candidate or political party. Rather, we should encourage ongoing participation in civic life and work to build a stronger diverse community for all of us.

David Shirk, director of the Trans-Border Institute at USD

No: Not enough. Empowering minority voters has always been an uphill battle in this country, and this remains true especially for our latest wave of new Latino citizens. Due to socioeconomic factors, including lower income and educational attainment, Latinos have lower levels of voter participation than the general population. While they constituted about 9 percent of the population in 2008, Latinos accounted for only 7 percent of voters; whites accounted for about 65 percent of the population, but about 75 percent of voters. Meanwhile, over half a century since the 1957 voting rights act, certain states are introducing new measures nominally intended to reduce “voter fraud” (like picture I.D. requirements) that present additional obstacles for poor and minority voters. Combined, these factors have caused Latino voter registration to drop dramatically in recent years. Without initiatives to empower such voters, such as Voto Latino and Movimiento Hispano, we will continue to have elected officials who do not represent these constituencies or properly address their concerns.